Computer-based instruction and educational activities have been a part of high school level curricula for some time, but the primary grades have adopted these techniques a little slower. However, the adoption of technological learning activities will increase sharply over the next few years. Experts disagree on the single most important driving factor, but there are clearly a number of distinct advantages to computer-based learning activities over more traditional educational activities. Here are five of the most important.
The pace of instruction concerns everyone involved in the development of educational activities. Parents often worry about their child being either left behind or held back by the performance of the other students in the classroom. Teachers using traditional learning activities have trouble progressing some of the students in a classroom if not all are ready. Computer-based educational activities assist here by allowing each student to learn at his or her own pace. One student can move onto more demanding educational activities before the rest of the class without disrupting anyone else’s learning. Simultaneously, another student can repeat certain learning activities as often as advisable.
Computer-based instruction can also enhance the relevance and quality of educational activities. This will often register as a prime concern for parents and students. Collaborating with an appropriate site for learning activities will provide the school district or classroom teacher with a wealth of choices. With educational activities organized by grade level and covering a vast array of subject material, a valuable partnering site will empower the instructor with the ability to choose learning activities to target the students’ needs best. Further, if the site includes authoring tools, the teacher or parent may create new educational activities to address any under-served curricular areas. Additionally, a user community, if offered, may enable the sharing of learning activities far more easily than before. Providing instruction on the computer then helps foster increased relevance for the lessons involved.
To compete in today’s society, students need to achieve a much higher level of comfort and ease with technological tools. Today’s primary age students will find computers and technology dominating their workplaces to a greater degree than their parents or perhaps even their older siblings. Another advantage of learning activities on computers for our children then is that it teaches on multiple levels. Our students not only master the curriculum materials embedded in the learning activities, but also become more adept at using computers, which is also of value to them.
Finally, computer-based instruction can help lower the cost of our kids’ educational activities. Instead of buying multiple copies of a textbook for each subject matter area, schools can invest in computers and software to attend to all students. Many sites for learning activities can be accessed for a modest monthly fee. This one fee can then address an entire classroom’s needs across many curriculum areas at once, and therefore provide an economical way to provide educational activities. For these reasons, classrooms will feature computer-based instruction going forward.
